“Who's the lucky woman?”
“There ain't no lucky woman. Don't talk so ridic'lous! All I said was that when Mary-'Gusta was old and married and had—”
“There you go again! Married and children! Say, did it ever run acrost your mind that you was a little mite previous?”
“I never said children. What I said was when she was old and had grandchildren.”
“Grandchildren! Well, that's a dum sight MORE previous. Let's have breakfast, all hands, for the land sakes! Isaiah'll have us cruisin' along with the third and fourth generation in a few minutes. I'M satisfied with this one!”
That evening, at bedtime, as the partners separated in the upper hall to go to their respective rooms, Zoeth said:
“Shadrach, this has been a mighty nice Christmas for us all, ain't it?”
Captain Shad nodded emphatically. “You bet!” he declared. “Don't seem to me I ever remember a nicer one.”
“Nor I, neither. I—I wonder—”
“Well, heave ahead. What are you waitin' for? What do you wonder?”